So, I did a few gas station/convenience audits a few weeks ago. Almost on every assignment, the managers were following me around, peering over my shoulder. I had one who wouldn't stop talking to me and insisted on standing beside me while I did the audit. I haven't had anyone be so bold as to actually look at my paperwork, but I do cover my work as much as I can.

I get it that they're nervous, but why do they insist on interfering or disrupting your work? You tell them you'll ask for assistance if you need it, but they don't back off. I always keep a low profile and respect them when they're trying to do their job. Why is it any different for us? What gets me is that the employees seem oblivious to the fact that they're on camera. Another at a gas station came over to me when there were no customers and said, "I'm bored. Let me know if I'm bothering you." I included it in the report, but part of me just wanted to say something like dust the shelves, organize the cigs etc etc. Really, if they don't have enough stuff to do, maybe we should quit MSing and get a PT job at the gas station, because apparently, they're only busy for the first two hours of their shift.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2013 03:46AM by MilessMum.

Several has told me they are jealous of our job. They make minimum wage and think we make the big bucks. Sure!

I've been lucky so far. No one's bugged me. I had one that asked how 'they' were doing which I couldn't say. I had another one suddenly pull out the mop and bucket and started washing the floor. One time, while I was inside, the district manager appeared about 1/2 hr after I got there. She didn't bother me either. She just commented on my car, lol.

I hope I don't encounter the problems you had. It would make it very difficult to do your job.

My last round of GS I had a manager come out and demand why I was taking a picture of their diesel sign on the canopy column....well with this brand canopy column signs are a BIG no, no. I said nicely that there is not allowed to be anything on the canopy columns. Then she get hostile and demanded how customers were supposed to know that pump was diesel. I told her I didn't know, I didn't make the rules, I just had to report it as I saw it. She went round and round with me, keeping me from doing my job. I told her she could probably call her district manager and get a better idea or the branding manager for the client. She still went round and round with me. I then told her that I would have to assign a site score of 0 if she continued to prevent me from completing my audit. She then asked me why I was being such a B*..... and walked into the store ranting how she only had a question and wanted an answer. I could have/should have walked away and given the 0...but I wanted paid. This MSC probably would have paid me, but still. I don't make the rules up, they should know the rules.

Then on the other hand, I always like when you are taking pictures of expired POP they come out and ask you how to get new because the company didn't send enough, or right ones, blah, blah, blah...my answer contact your district manager, I'm sure they probably can help you.

Very few have bothered me. For those brave ones, I simply stop and tell them I will continue when they get back to work...

You can be polite, professional and firm, with firm being the operative word.

Hmmm, the convenience store audit I do requires me to get them to sign off on all the missing items at the end so I don't worry about them glancing at my clip board. I assume they have the exact same list anyway. At the end if I didn't find something I'm supposed to ask them if the items are on the shelves, so if they want to help me find items before the end, I don't mind.

But, maybe you are talking about different ones.

At the Tire/Everything store the employee does have the exact same paper work and takes me through the store and is required to sign every page of my list. That one goes fast, love it.

That's exactly it! I didn't say anything to any of these site managers because I wanted to remain polite and nice. And, really, they're making fools of themselves because they're on camera peering or following or whatever. I don't want to get kicked out, because obviously I went there, I want to do the work and get paid. I really admire mrcomputer. I should get in touch with my scheduler first and confirm if I can tell site managers straight up that I'm here to do my job, please respect that and don't interfere and I will ask for help if I need it before taking these assignments again.

I do hundreds of them, the secret is play dumb! I tell them I do not know the client standards, I just have to take pictures of the required elements and send them in. There is a quality department which looks at the pictures and decides. When they ask me how did it go, I tell them that I cannot tell them since I do not know the client's standards and my opinion can be easily overturned. When they ask you why you take a certain picture do not say "this is a no-no", just tell them you are required to take picture of X on the column or Y in the parking lot

Re. the hovering manager...
"I am so sorry, sir, but I have difficulty concentrating on my work when I'm trying to hold a conversation or even if someone is too nearby. I'm sure it's just me. If you could hold off on questions and maybe give me a little more room, I sure would appreciate it. I would feel terrible if I missed something and gave a bad report because I was distracted."

Re. uncomfortable questions concerning the evaluation...
"I am very sorry, ma'am, but I am strictly prohibited from discussing the audit. I hope you'll understand, but I really wouldn't either one of us to get into trouble over me discussing it with you."

Re. challenges to photos or closer inspections...
"I'm sorry, sir. I have a list of photos I have to take and this is just one of them."

Re. stronger challenges to deficiency photos...
"I'm really sorry, but I just need to provide a close-up photo of this. It's going to show up in my required overall photos, and they seem to go over them with a magnifying glass, so they'll know the close-up is supposed to be there. If I don't provide it, they won't accept this report and will probably send someone else out to get the photo and take an even closer to see what else I might have missed."

Re. challenges to standards...
"I'm really sorry, but to be honest, I have no idea why the information and photos that are on the list are required. I just get the list. In fact, I've never even seen one of the finished reports after I send in the information. Sorry I can't help you with that."

just tell them if they follow you around that you have to use
a different grading system. Watch how fast they walk away

elcarev's answers are great. I'd never tell them that there was not supposed to be a sign on the canopy pole. When asked how they did, my usual response is that I'm little more than a trained monkey with a camera, taking pictures that I'm told to take. I let them know that I have no idea why they want the pictures, only that they tell me exactly what to take. I've never had anyone challenge anything.

I've been forced to use this line when I had to have a signed document: I will not change this audit.

I just tell them that there may be local exceptions that I am unaware of. I use the same form in Baltimore that is used in Peducah and the editors take the local exceptions into account. This seems to appease most of the more intrusive observers. I tell them I just take the pictures and send them in. What the editors do with them after that is anyone's guess.